Some Central Iowa business owners are shaking their heads over hefty increases in their monthly electric bills, but MidAmerican Energy Co. officials say they're doing all they can to help their customers keep their bills as low as possible.

Sen. Steve Sodders, a Democrat from State Center, has introduced legislation that calls for extending high-speed fiber-optic services to rural Iowa and other underserved or unserved areas of the state.

Branstad, who was in Nevada speaking about a county broadband initiative on Thursday, has faced criticism from environmental activists over his opposition to Des Moines Water Works' move to sue three rural counties in northwest Iowa over nitrate pollution in the Raccoon River

Iran sees no sign of a shift within the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries to support oil prices, its oil minister said, adding its oil industry could ride out a slump to $25 a barrel, Reuters reported.